Caging Question

[bmack]

Hello everyone! I currently have two ball pythons and a corn snake. The glass aquariums aren't working out for me very well either on temperature or humidity so I'm planning an upgrade to an enclosed cage like a T8 from Animal Plastics or something like that. My question is this: are these cages going to be able to maintain adequate interior temperatures? I don't have separate areas for my snakes at this time and I'm still probably a year or two away from being able to offer them their own hot room in my place. The lowest I usually go is 72 and I don't go much higher than 74. Will these enclosures be able to compensate? Or will I be eliminating the humidity problem only to still have the temperature problem? Or is it just a matter of getting an easily alterable cage and installing a radiant heat panel to supplement the belly heat? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

[Marissa@MKmorphs]

These cages are probably your best option if you are looking to change from glass tanks and are wanting visually appealing cages.

I have some boas in these display type cages. I have a 6 foot animal plastics cage that I use a radiant heat panel in, and the other 2 I use belly heat. I really do like the rhp, but for a ball python I would stick with belly heat.

I will let others chime in who have those species in similar set ups. My balls and corns are in racks and tubs, but I have a lot more than 3

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[jclaiborne]

I don't have AP cages, but I do use vision cages and they hold temps and humidity really well. My house fluctuates in temps, hottest is 78 and the coolest is around 69 and I don't have any issue maintaining temps.

[EL-Ziggy]

I have (4) T8's for my snakes. The ambient temps stay in the mid-high 70's and my humidity stays between 55-65%. I use UTH's to create a hot spot and in the winter time I boost the ambient temps with either a CHE or IR heat bulb. A RHP would work well also.

[JoshSloane]

I just ordered a AP T8. PVC enclosures are well worth the money, and are considered to be the best caging materials around. I know many will disagree, but a T8 is major overkill for even a full grown BP. I keep my adult female BCIs in 4x2x1. Go a step down and save some money.

[Prognathodon]

I just ordered a AP T8. PVC enclosures are well worth the money, and are considered to be the best caging materials around. I know many will disagree, but a T8 is major overkill for even a full grown BP. I keep my adult female BCIs in 4x2x1. Go a step down and save some money.

A T8 is the cheapest of the AP terrestrial cages, including the T1s, which are half the footprint of a T8s. Unless you've got a space limitation why order a smaller unit and spend more money? If you have two snakes that'll be happy with a 4'x2' area, you can get a divider for the T8 and still be only a little more expensive than a single T1 - at list price, and at the moment the T8s and some other models are on sale. (NAYY).


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[bproffer]

So what is the consensus? Is each half of a divided T8 (2x2x1) large enough for an adult BP? To me it seems like it would be to small, but I am a newb to this and know nothing.

[midnightLeo]

Not too many people like boamaster but, for what it is worth they get the job done. Across the board, heat, humidity, and with such a low price you can't beat it. I have a 6ft' er from boamaster and with the fluctuations in temperature in my house between me and my wife fighting over the thermostat I have no complaints. I run a rhp and a heat mat under a piece of plexi I sealed inside the enclosure on a herpstat 2 i run the the reptile fogger maybe once a week if that. Plan to get another and divide it for two pythons. Just saying it's a little more work to put together and get it how you want than most other enclosures but like I said it's cheaper and it works great.

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[jclaiborne]

So what is the consensus? Is each half of a divided T8 (2x2x1) large enough for an adult BP? To me it seems like it would be to small, but I am a newb to this and know nothing.

Not sure if you will come up with a consensus here, some people believe smaller is better while others believe give them (any reptile) as much space and as natural of a setup as you can. I fall into the latter, but to each their own.

[JoshSloane]

You wont get a good consensus on this forum, rarely anyone can agree on the same thing without a fight breaking out. I personally think a T8 split in two would be fine for two adult BPs. The actual square footage per side is more than a 41 qt tub.

But to JClaibornes point, it all depends on how you wish to maintain your setups. Some people like to go ultra natural, and provide as much space as possible. I usually go for a minimalist yet efficient setup that is easily cleaned and temperature regulated. To each there own, no right answer.